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DAY 1 Friday: LIMA
Reception in the Lima airport and transfer to Carmel Hotel or similar
located in Miraflores, Lima. Depending on the arrival time of your
international flight, we may have time to visit the Peruvian Gold Museum (not
included in the rate).
DAY 2 Saturday: CUSCO
After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport where we'll take the
flight to Cusco (airfare not included). Upon arrival reception and transfer to
our Orquidea Real Hostal, followed by a few cups of mate de coca, while you
ask us any questions that you may have about the tour. At 13:45 you will
leave on the Cusco City Tour. This tour includes the major sites of
historical interest in Cusco, such as the famous Inca fort at Sacsahuaman,
and the temple of the Sun. Also included in this is a tourist card, giving
you access to all the sites in the Cusco area as a whole (i.e., including
outside of the City itself) This tour finishes at 18:00.Overnight ( B )
DAY 3 Sunday: MACHU PICCHU
At 5:30 a.m. you will be picked up from the hotel to the train station which
leaves at 06:00 a.m. Travel will be in a "Vistadome" Class (formerly "Autowagon").
At 09:40 a.m. you will arrive at the Aguas Calientes Station, from where you
will take a 25 minutes bus ride to the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Once there, you will take a guided tour, with an English speaking guide.
Overnight at the Presidente Hostal or similar in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu).
(B, Box lunch)
*Optional: For lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge instead of box-lunch,
add $35.00 to the tour price.
DAY 4 Monday: MACHU PICCHU
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes to continue visiting the area and
Machu Picchu (bus ticket and entrance fees not included). At 3:30 pm we will
take the Vistadome train back to Cusco, arriving at 7:30pm. We will stay
overnight at Orquidea Real Hostal or similar. (B)
DAY 5 Tuesday: SACRED VALLEY TOUR
You will be picked up at 8,45A.M. Full day excursion to the Urubamba Valley,
visiting: the village of Pisac, a picturesque town of creole and colonial
aspect and its lndian market and craftfair. Lunch provided. In the afternoon
you'll visit to the fortress of Ollantaytambo, an architectural group that
in the days of the Tahuantinsuyo empire was a gigantic agricultural,
administrative, social, religious and military complex, then the Chincero
market. At the end Return to Cusco and Overnight. (B,L)
DAY 6 Wednesday: MANU AND COCK-OF-THE-ROCK LODGE:
We pick you up by bus from your hotel, after your breakfast, and set off for
the cloud forest. We pass over two Andean chains of almost 13,100 feet
elevation through a steppe-like landscape, or Puna. On the way we pass stone
Chullpas, or burial chambers, of the Pre-Inca Lupaca people and will hope to
catch sight of some of the bird species of the high Andes, including the
Giant Hummingbird and Mountain Caracara. We plan on a delicious boxed lunch
at the edge of the cloud forest, Ajanaco, which if clear affords views over
the cloud forest and the vast sprawling expanse of the lowland rain fores.
>From here the road suddenly descends the eastern slope of the Andes. We
plunge downwards, past remnant patches of elfin forest, through swirling
mist and cloud, to emerge in a forest of stunted, evergreen trees, festooned
with mosses, lichens, bromeliads and other epiphytes. Nestled in this forest
within a 2-minute walk of the road, and within earshot of a rushing mountain
stream, lies the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, If there is time available, we will
have a chance to briefly began our exploration of the surrounding forest
before dinner. (B,Box Lunch, D)
DAY 7 Thursday: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE - AMAZONIA LODGE We need to
get up before sunrise to visit the lek of the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Next,
we spend some hours of the morning searching from the road looking for cloud
forest birds, and with luck, Common Woolly Monkeys. Then continue by bus for
Atalaya. After a 3-4 hour bus ride we reach the Alto Madre de Dios River,
where we may have box lunch in Atalaya.
>From here we switch over to a cargo canoe with a 55 hp or 65 HP
>outboard
motor and continue for 10 minutes on the Alto Madre de Dios River to
Amazonia Lodge. This famous birdwatching destination is situated in the
premontane zone at 500 meters or 1640 feet above sea level. Here it is
possible to do birding as well as general tropical wildlife observation in a
diversity of habitats like bamboo forest, successional flood plain, hill
forest and swamp within short walking distances, without using other
transportation. Amazonia also maintains a veranda with a view of the garden
and wildlife feeders, where it is possible to see several species of
hummingbirds. This afternoon we plan a walk around the lodge in successional
flood plain, the possibilities include the endemic Fine-barred Piculet,
Johanni's Tody-Tyrant and Black-capped Tinamou. Finishing the day in the
mini tower in the swamp area it is possible to see Blackish Rail, Rufous-sided
Crake, the prehistoric Hoatzin and Black-capped Donacobious. As night falls
the various bat populations emerge and the owling possibilities include
Black-banded Owl, Tawny-bellied Screch-Owl, Mottled Owl, Long-tailed , Great
and Common potoos. Dinner and overnight Amazonia Lodge . (B, Box Lunch, D)
DAY 8 Friday: AMAZONIA LODGE - MANU WILDLIFE CENTER You may take a
small hike on the Lodge trails before leaving early for Manu Wildlife Center.
On the way we have wildlife viewing possibilities throughout the morning
until you stop for a visit at an Indigenous Piro Indian Village. Later after
passing the entrance to the Manu National Park, we take a break at Boca Manu.
Now on the River Madre de Dios, after traveling today approximately 6 hours
by boat, you arrive at Manu Wildlife Center. A Wildlife Center Reception and
Orientation are planned before unpacking in your private bungalow and
resting to escape the afternoon heat.
Today, at one of the top ten wildlife lodges in the world, we begin your
exploration through 48 kilometers, almost 30 miles, of diverse forest trails.
(B, Box Lunch, D)
DAY 9 Saturday: MWC - MACAW CLAY LICK / TAPIR CLAY LICK Rising before
dawn, we take a 25 minute boat journey downstream to the only large parrot
and macaw clay lick in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind we are
afforded excellent views and photo opportunities of hundreds of medium-sized
and large parrots arriving first at the lick, followed by the large Red-and-Green
Macaws arriving to eat the clay. Please note that the clay lick is not as
active in May, June and July.
After lunch at the Center we continue to explore the forest trails
surrounding the lodge, and plan to spend the late afternoon up a 34 meter
canopy platform. Here, we watch the last frantic activity in the rainforest
canopy, or rush hour, before night settles.
We can return for dinner back at the Center, or pack our meal for the
leisurely hike about 60-75 minutes through the night forest to the Amazon's
largest known Tapir clay lick. We climb up a 17 by 17 foot observation
platform perched 17 feet above the lick itself where we wait for the
lumbering Tapirs to arrive, then using powerful flashlights we hope to
observe and photograph them in action. (B/L/D)
DAY 10 Sunday: MWC - EXCURSION TO COCHA BLANCO After another early
morning departure by boat and short hike from the river, you have what
promises to be an exciting visit to Blanco Oxbow Lake. This lake has
populations of a variety of aquatic life and water birds, including the
prehistoric-looking hoatzin and the possibility to see the resident family
of giant otters.
After returning for lunch at the Center your guide is available to further
explore the forest trails for more wildlife encounters. Alternatively, time
is available to independently practice your abilities and experience this
expanse of rainforest habitats on your own.
This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we offer an
opportunity to search for caiman and other nocturnal life along the
riverbank by boat. (B/L/D)
DAY 11 Monday: CUSCO
After early breakfast, we leave near dawn by motor canoe for the two hour
return trip to the Manu landing strip, taking advantage of valuable early
morning wildlife activity along the river. From here you fly to Cusco, where
your jungle adventure ends . Arrival at Cusco Airport, reception and
transfer to Orquidea Real Hostal or similar. Overnight. (B)
DAY 12 Tuesday: LIMA
Transfer to the airport where you'll take the flight back to Lima (airfare
not
included) in time to get your international flight connection. (B)
END OF THE SERVICE
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